Lynk & Co shows off its first car, the Volvo-based 01 SUV

Say what you will about Chinese carmakers, but one thing can’t be denied – they have made progress faster than any other country, faster than even Korean carmakers, the previous record-holders for how quickly they went from making shoddily-built copies of models that were past their “best by” date to building desirable, potentially segment-topping cars. The latest evidence of such progress can be seen with the 01, the aptly-named first car from the newly-formed brand of the Geely conglomerate, Lynk & Co.

Give me the 5 key facts about the 01

• It is built on the same Volvo-developed platform that the Swedish firm will use for its upcoming XC40 crossover
• It was in fact designed in Sweden by Peter Horbury, Volvo’s ex-design chief
• The target markets include the US and Europe
• No details on engines yet, but expect Volvo-developed 3-cyl and 4-cyl turbocharged engines, supported by electric motors
• Features a 10.1 inch touchscreen inside, in order to aid brand’s push into connectivity

It looks rather good!

Probably the biggest surprise about the 01 is just how good it looks. Looks are subjective, but it can’t be denied that the 01 sports a squat, planted stance, neat detailing and an interior that’s modern and stylish. Of course, once you look closer you start realizing that many of the design cues have been seen elsewhere (the staggered headlight setup, with the top units much like the Nissan Juke, and bottom ones similar to the Jeep Cherokee or Citroen C4 Picasso, the profile reminiscent of the Porsche Sport Turismo, the rear which looks a lot like the Citroen C4 Cactus, the list goes on…), but it all comes together very nicely indeed. The interior is even better, with a dash that blends the layout from Volvo’s C40, detailing from the new XC90 and Citroen C3 (vents), and a modern touchscreen to shame anything this side of a Tesla.

Will it sell?

Chinese brands have a less-than-stellar record in Europe, between the lamentable Landwind, the faltering pseudo-British MG and the failed wannabe-European Qoros. However, Lynk & Co has a lot of things going for it, once you get over its silly name:

• It was conceived by one of the leading Chinese manufacturers, Geely, which also owns Volvo
• The 01 is heavily based on the upcoming Volvo XC40 crossover
• The brand will try to have its own USP, by pushing heavily into connectivity, both in terms of in-car entertainment, as well as built-in car-sharing features (making it easier for users to car-share and car-pool)

So, what do you think? Let us know in the poll and comments below: